Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted despite the recent US-Iran ceasefire , with tensions rising after Donald Trump criticised Tehran’s handling of oil flows and cast doubt on the durability of the truce.
Writing on Truth Social, the US president said Iran was doing a "very poor job, dishonourable some would say" in allowing shipments through the vital route, adding to his earlier warnings that oil would begin to flow again "with or without Iran’s help".
Trump's comments have raised fresh questions over the ceasefire, which was partly contingent on reopening the strait, but has yet to fully take hold. AFP reported that just 10 ships have transited the strait since the truce came into effect, a tiny fraction of the roughly 100 to 140 vessels that would normally pass through the route each day. Despite the formal agreement, traffic remains minimal, with many ships either waiting or avoiding the area altogether. Barely moving The limited movement of vessels underscores the gap between diplomatic announcements and operational reality. While the strait is technically open, commercial shipping has yet to resume at scale, with insurers, operators and governments all treating the route as high risk.
Trump has also warned Iran against restricting flows or imposing fees on vessels, saying: "There are reports that Iran is charging oil tankers that pass through the Strait of Hormuz. They had better not be doing that, and if they are, they had better stop now!"
European officials have likewise rejected any attempt to impose fees or restrictions, insisting that international law guarantees freedom of navigation through what they describe as a global public good. Why the strait is not reopening Despite the ceasefire, the broader conflict has not stopped. Israel has continued large-scale strikes on Lebanon, killing over 310 people in just one day.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, has made clear that there is no ceasefire on that front and has said that negotiations will take place while the Israeli military continues to attack Lebanon.
Iran has linked its actions in Hormuz to these ongoing hostilities, arguing that the continuation of the war in Lebanon undermines the terms of the truce. In practice, Tehran appears to be using its control over the strait as leverage, allowing only limited and managed transit while withholding a full reopening. Tehran's actions also contradict Washington's claims to be fully in the driver's seat regarding negotiations, with it openly flexing its capabilities to keep Hormuz effectively closed despite US threats. That control has been formalised by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which announced alternative maritime routes through the strait, warning of "possible collisions with sea mines" and instructing vessels to follow designated paths under its supervision. A mined passage Yet the reality on the water tells a deeper story. Passage through Hormuz is not only restricted, but potentially dangerous.
Mohammed Al-Samadi, a retired major general and military analyst for The New Arab's affiliate channel Al-Araby TV , warned that even relatively unsophisticated weapons could have a major impact.
"We are talking about mines that may cost no more than $500, yet can disable an oil tanker or a massive gas carrier carrying hundreds of millions," he said.
Al-Samadi noted that the strait’s geography compounds the danger, describing it as a narrow passage "around three kilometres wide in each direction", meaning that ships are forced into confined shipping lanes.
He added that Iran would not need to mine the entire waterway, but only these key routes, where waters are relatively shallow.
He further outlined the range of threats, from floating mines just below the surface to seabed devices and more advanced systems triggered by magnetic, acoustic or pressure sensors.
"There are between 2,000 and 6,000 mines," he said, citing various estimates of Iran’s stockpile.
Such weapons can be deployed from boats, submarines or even helicopters, making them difficult to detect and clear. Hard to reopen These risks help explain why Western efforts to reopen the strait are proving complex. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK had a "job" to help restore shipping, but acknowledged that doing so would take time.
"This isn’t the sort of thing that happens at the flick of a switch," a UK official said, as London leads discussions with allies on mine-clearing operations, naval escorts and insurance guarantees for tankers.
The EU has maintained a cautious stance, rejecting Iranian restrictions while emphasising diplomacy, while NATO allies remain divided over how far to go in securing the route.
Plans are being explored for a coalition effort to protect shipping, but no unified military operation has yet been agreed as confusion over the viability of the temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran continues.